Guitar Arpeggio Technique - How to Play Arpeggios

This
lesson on guitar arpeggio technique is all about the physical application
of arpeggios
on guitar. There are several ways you can play arpeggios -
alternate
picking, legato (hammer ons and pull offs), sweep picking and tapping.

There are also essential lead techniques you should be confident with
for playing arpeggios at higher speeds, such as string skipping and
finger
rolling.

All the arpeggio techniques in this lesson will be covered in more
depth in their own individual lessons, but hopefully by the end of this
page you'll be more aware of the many different playing skills you can
apply to your arpeggios.

The arpeggio rolling technique

Rolling is a technique that allows you to play two vertical notes,
on the
same fret, in quick succession, using just one finger. How? By
playing one note with the tip
of your finger and the next note with the pad of your finger
(or vice versa if you're descending the arpeggio pattern).
To do this you need to work on collapsing and raising your top finger
joints.

Let's say we wanted to play two consecutive notes, from the G to B
string. Here's how we would roll using the index finger...

On the G
(lower) string

Start by fretting the lower string as usual, with the lower tip of the
finger.

On the B
(higher) string

The finger collapses or "rolls" back to a flatter position, fretting
the string above and muting the string below.

Many arpeggio patterns involve two "vertical" notes like this, in
varying positions, so you need to ensure all your fingers can execute
this rolling technique.

Use the below exercise to practice this technique using all four
fingers, starting with your index finger as pictured
above. The tab shows the down strokes
and up strokes
we'd use to negotiate these note pairings.

Rolling is especially important for sweep picking, as
it's the only way you'll be able to play vertical notes like this at
faster speeds.

Alternate picking arpeggios

A lot of great guitarists use strict alternate
picking for both scales and arpeggios.

Alternate
picking isn't the quickest, most efficient guitar arpeggio
technique, but it's fine for styles where speed isn't such a big deal
(i.e. if you're just playing quarter and eighth notes most of the
time).

A lot of guitarists choose alternate picking for consistency and
control.

Tapping arpeggios

Another advanced technique, tapping is a form
of legato playing where you hammer on and pull off strings using a
pick hand finger (usually the middle finger).

You really have to see this one in action! The below video will help...

I
hope this lesson has opened your eyes to the many different guitar
arpeggio techniques you can use in your solos. If you want more
exericises to improve your speed and timing, I highly recommend the Finger
Trainer.